There are numerous products known today which, when heated or cooled, can be used for therapeutic purposes. These products include various pads, cushions, and compresses, typically filled with a synthetic material. Some of these products can be heated in an oven or microwave, while others can be cooled in a refrigerator or freezer, in order to provide various therapeutic benefits.
Therapeutic products which use natural ingredients, or which can be used in either a heated or cooled manner, are not well-known and often are very expensive. Also, these products generally do not retain their temperature (whether hot or cold) for a sufficient length of time.
Thus, there is a need for therapeutic-type products which use more natural ingredients, such as cherry pits, which are biodegradable. There also is a need for therapeutic-type products which can be either heated or cooled, as desired, in order to provide the appropriate benefit, and which can retain their temperatures for a longer period of time.
When cherry pits or other natural ingredients are used for such products, there is a need for an improved and beneficial process and processing system for cleaning, washing, drying, and sorting the pits. There also is a need for environmental friendly processing systems which do not use or generate byproducts or waste products which may be harmful to the environment.